First Encounters And Other Such Incidents
by Plot Bunnies Rule
Summary: "Have you and Tazmania Alvarez ever had, shall we say, sexual relations?" The most memorable of adventures are the ones that change everything.   STARSHIP, Taz/Up Tup
1. The Quinceanera Battle

AN: OK, so... I watched Starship, guys. And I realized that this idea is going to be done over countless times...but I'd like to be known as one of the firsts to write this. I'd like to thank Kierza for the title and grammar correction and support...and just being totally awesome. C: Just for clarification, this is going to be an ONGOING story about all the escapades Taz and Up get into before and after the events of Starship. So...yeah, enjoy!

PBR

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><p><strong>The Quinceañera Battle<strong>

Let it be a universally known fact that Taz hates wearing dresses. Or maybe it was just the color pink.

Pink was _muy femenina_, so utterly girly that the day her mother showed her the quinceañera dress she was supposed to wear, she promptly locked herself in her room, refusing to come out until the dress was set on fire. And who wouldn't, really? With its full pink skirt overly decorated with pink tulle and pink cloth roses and its glittery pink bodice that hugged her skin uncomfortably, the dress was an abomination. An abomination that Taz had refused to wear.

But the only thing Taz hated more than pink was losing an argument with her mother, which, unfortunately, was a regular ordeal.

So, here she was; standing miserably in a group of adults she barely knew as they all exclaimed about how _hermosa_ she looked in the stupid, fluffy, pink dress that was supposed to signify her descent into womanhood.

Tazmania Alvarez was fifteen years old today, and she was not enjoying herself. For the past few hours, all she was content to do was watch her guests, most of whom were, as mentioned earlier, adults she did not know or care about, entertain themselves, keep an eye on her annoying older brothers, and stay as far away from her party as possible. Only her mother, who, for the first few hours of the party, attempted to "introduce" her to some "very nice" boys and their families, who Taz should try and "get to know better", hindered the latter fact. This, of course, was her mother's old-fashioned plan to get Taz married off, now that she was a woman.

_"If being a woman means wearing _estúpido_ dresses all the time, I think I'll stay a girl, _gracias_."_

What was the point of having a quinceañera anyway? Her family, she knew, could barely afford the dress she was now wearing, let alone all the food and decorations and the _enorme_ banner that blazed Taz's full name. And with the war going on, how could all these shallow people mingle in her backyard and not feel the slightest guilt? _Por el amor de Dios_, there were Rangers stationed not ten feet away outside the gate!

_"Idiotas." _she mused.

Then again, the Rangers stationed in her small town really didn't mean anything in her mind. They took advantage of their resources, went though women of the night like thirsty men go through water, and generally annoyed everyone in their small town. The war was far away, being fought in the more prosperous and populous cities, not in her backyard. Taz could not help but feel skeptical.

And that's when it happened.

One minute, the guests were dancing happily under the twinkling lights of lanterns and stars; the next, screams punctuated the air as gunshots were fired. Taz's eyes widened as she watched the crowd mill _locamente _around her backyard, obviously terrified of something Taz could not see. What were they so afraid of?

Then, she saw them.

There were only ten of them, but with the destruction they instilled, there might as well have been a hundred. They moved with stiff joints through the crowd, the explosion of machinery preceding them. Their chrome bodies glinted with the lantern-light above their heads. Taz could swear they were staring at her with their red, laser-like eyes.

Robots.

And they were coming right towards her.

She backed toward the fence, flattening herself against it. The robots extended their arms towards her, all the while murmuring in their monotone voices "Destroy all humans. Destroy all humans." Her breathing became shallow. Surely this was the end of Tazmania Alvarez.

Then, she hit the ground.

"_Oh Dios_, I've been killed." She instantly thought, bracing herself for the worst.

Instead, she felt two hands on her shoulders and a voice whispered in her ear "Stay down, and don't move." The voice was abrasive to her ear. Against her better judgments, she obeyed, peeking through her eyelashes to catch a glimpse of the owner of this voice. What she could see was the back of a Ranger, his grey camo stained with the grime of battle, swing a massive gun into his hands. "Come and get it, you dumb machines!" he cried out. The robots fixated their artificial eyes on him and advanced, instead, towards him. Then, with precise accuracy, he fired, hitting each one. One by one, they fell to the ground, sparking and shutting down. The Ranger, the _only_ Ranger there, Taz realized, had just saved her single-handedly.

The short, stunned silence that followed was broken only by the footsteps of more Rangers advancing into Taz's backyard. "Too late to do any good." Taz thought cynically. As they wove through the crowd the Ranger, the one that had saved them, turned to look back at Taz. Much younger than the other Rangers in her town, this one looked like a new graduate from the Academy. His dark hair, cropped short due to protocol, was encrusted with dirt, as was his face. It was odd, Taz thought, his face was; it had the hardened, soldier-like look, but his eyes—his eyes had that boyish spark that most other Rangers she saw had already lost. He smiled, only briefly, and walked up to who could only be his boss, the Commander.

"Report, Lieutenant." He said in a gruff voice, looking thoroughly perturbed.

"Ten of them, Sir; a small band identical to the ones that have infiltrated elsewhere tonight. All of them are destroyed, Sir."

"No casualties?"

"None, sir." A pause. "Sir, can I speak my mind?"

"Continue."

"I don't think they wanted to kill anyone…not yet, anyways. I think this was meant to be a warning."

Another pause. "Yes…I think you're right." For a brief second, the Commander looked tired beyond belief. The next, he snapped to attention. "Dismissed, Lieutenant."

A salute, and the Ranger turned around facing Taz once again. He grinned, and began walking towards the girl. Realizing that she was still on the ground, Taz sat up, noticing the grass in her long black hair and on her dress. The Ranger stepped forward, holding his hand out to Taz, grinning. "Hey." He said in that rough drawl.

Taz stared at his hand, snorted with laughter, and pushed herself off the ground without his help.

"Uh…" he mumbled, then said in garbled Spanish. "Ho-la. Como es-taz? Si eres…" he paused. "Injured-o?"

Taz raised her eyebrows. "I can speak English, dumbass."

The Ranger reddened with embarrassment, and cleared his throat. "Right. Of course."

Taz rolled her eyes.

"I'm Lieutenant Up." The Ranger said. "And you must be…" he glanced at the amazingly still-intact banner behind him. "Tazmania?"

"Taz." Taz replied. "No one calls me Tazmania." She put her hands on her hips. "That was some_ buen_ shooting you did just now."

Lieutenant Up shrugged. "Just part of my job, little missy."

Before Taz could retort that she hated being called "little", there was a strangled cry and blur as Taz was engulfed by her mother. "Oh, _mi hija_! _Mi bebé_! _Mi_ _pobre_, _pobre_ Tazmania. I am so _agradecido_ you're safe!"

Taz did not look like she agreed. "_Mamá_!" she groaned, her voice muffled by her mother's shoulder. "I can't breathe."

"And you!" Her mother quickly let go of her, turning on the Lieutenant. "You _saved_ her!"

Up flushed. "Well...yeah, I guess. But, it's just part of the job, ma'am." He reiterated.

"What does that matter? You saved her," Taz's mother took the Lieutenant's face in her hands and kissed him on both cheeks. "and our family is forever _en deuda_ to you."

Lieutenant Up's cheeks, in response, turned even redder as Taz hid a smile and laughter behind her mother's back.

"Come," her mother continued. "We will feed you now."

And with that, a bewildered Up was led by Taz's mother to the half-destroyed food table, where he was force-fed multiple empanadas.

Taz laughed, enjoying herself for the first time that night.


	2. The Dumpster Incident

AN: Sorry this chapter took me so long! I was having a horrible time writing it for some odd reason. You can thank my editor for inspiration and writing help and generally just being totally awesome! For future warning, the next chapter won't be up for another two and a half weeks or so (I'm going out of town) so be warned of another wait.

Enjoy!

PBR

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><p><strong>The Dumpster Incident<strong>

In her life, Taz would come to terms with two things: one was that she could not recreate her mother's tamales, and the other was that she was never going to grow above five feet tall. The first would be discovered after an attempt at tamale making that resulted in a smoking oven and first degree burns. The second was discovered when she was fifteen years old and resulted in the best friendship she ever would have.

"Get away from me, Antonio."

"Or what? You gonna sic your brothers on us?"

"Antonio, _s__al_ _de_ _aquí_. You and your _compinches_ _son_ _estúpido_."

"You didn't say please."

Taz stiffened, willing herself not to make any rash decisions. It was hard, though, seeing as she desperately wanted to wound Antonio in places he'd feel it most. It had been a relatively normal Saturday in October for Taz; she had escaped her mother's appeals for her to clean, and had sought solace in her favorite Florida Maple tree and her current favorite book, Don Quixote. Her reverie was broken, however, by the arrival of Antonio and his two cronies, Marco and José, all of who were boys from her school, and all of who were intent on making Taz's life hell. She was content to ignore their taunting, and attempted to absorb herself completely in her novel, until Antonio had seen fit start calling her a _puta_. It was a weak comeback in Taz's mind, but that did not mean that Antonio had any business calling her a whore. So she jumped down off her branch, faced the boys, and told them quite plainly to leave.

They didn't, of course.

Taz sighed loudly. "Please, _idiota_?" she said, sarcasm coating her voice.

Antonio did not answer, and instead made a quick move and grabbed Taz's book from her hands. Ignoring her contradictions, Antonio held the book over his head, looking at the title. "Don Quicks-oh-tee?"

"You can't even pronounce your own language right! It's Don Quixote, _estúpido_!" Taz said angrily, pronouncing the title right and attempting to grab the book from Antonio's grip, but unfortunately for her, Antonio was a head and a half taller than she was, giving him an unfair advantage.

Antonio grinned menacingly down at Taz. "You want this book, don't you _puta_?"

"Say that to me again, and I'll-"

"You'll what?" Antonio taunted, leaning towards Taz. "What can you do to me, _pequeña camarón_?"

In all honesty, there were many things that Taz would've liked very much to do to this _idiota_ that she could have justified. Instead, Taz narrowed her eyes, stared at Antonio unwaveringly, and then unexpectedly gave a sly grin. "I can do this." She said, giving the boy a swift kick in his most tender of spots. Howling in pain, Antonio dropped the book, which Taz made a frantic grab for just before it hit the ground. Quick as a _liebre_, she ran off, faintly hearing Antonio's cursing and his orders to "Follow that _maldita puta_."

Taz ran on, regardless of her pursuers, taking the alleyways in an attempt to lose them in the chase. Regrettably, though she was fast, Antonio and his minions were ultimately faster, finally cornering Taz after she turned into an alley blocked off by a ten-foot chain-link fence. "_Maldición_," she cursed herself. "I must have taken a wrong turn."

"We caught you _puta_." Antonio said, trying to look tough while obviously worn out by the chase. "You can't run from us."

Taz resisted the urge to roll her eyes and crossed her arms instead, staring him down. "What do you want with me Antonio?"

He didn't answer at first, partly because he was still breathing heavily, but he now began to pace in a circle around Taz, staring her down as well. "You…are a disgrace. You know that, don't you Tazmania?"

She didn't answer.

"You spend all your time reading your _libros estúpidos_, and for what? _Chicas_ are not meant to read all the time, and you're a little too smart for your own good." He was still stalking around her, grinning now. "You think you're better than the rest of us, Tazmania. You think you're meant for something…special." Antonio stopped, looking directly at Taz, leaning down. "And that bothers me, Tazmania. ¿_Entiendes_?"

She didn't answer; just gritted her teeth, wishing desperately that she would grow a few more inches so that this _bastardo_ wasn't looking down on her. She was just about to make another run for it, not wanting to hear any more of Antonio's comments, when she was interrupted by a loud voice saying. "Excuse me, fellas, are you bothering this girl?"

Antonio quickly turned around, and Taz could see Lieutenant Up, the Ranger who had saved her at her quinceañera four months before. Despite herself, Taz grinned, anticipating the what was to come.

Antonio, attempting to look sure of himself, laughed. "Get lost Ranger. This isn't your fight."

Up ignored Antonio's heckling and walked towards past him towards Taz, his hand outstretched towards her. "_Señorita, toma mi mano por favor_."

Taz raised her eyebrow, impressed. Somehow, in the past four months, the Lieutenant had taken the time to learn Spanish—even though his pronunciation was still dead-god awful. Regardless of this, Taz smiled and, with no idea what he was going to do, grabbed his hand.

And before she could protest, he had swung her around and onto his back, her arms locked around his neck. She gave a yelp of surprise. "Better hold on tight." Up said softly, so as a surprised Antonio and company wouldn't hear him. "It's gonna get rowdy."

"What do you mean it's gonna get-" but Taz was interrupted by Up unloading an average-sized zapper from his belt. Taz smiled. Oh yes, this was going to be fun.

"Now boys," Up said, nonchalantly twirling his gun. "You have two choices now. Either you all leave in an orderly fashion and don't bother this girl again," he directed the zapper at Antonio. "or I shoot your heads off. Your choice."

Their answer was made clear by the way they immediately high-tailed it out of there, too terrified to even scream curses behind them.

Up chuckled and turned his head to look at Taz out of the corner of his eye. "Should we give them a chase?"

Taz, still smiling, nodded. "_Sí_."

And, with that, they took off, chasing the three boys down narrow streets, screaming at the top of their lungs. They looked absolutely ridiculous, they were getting stared at, and Lieutenant Up could very well be demoted for harassing citizens by wielding his zapper, but did either of them care? Of course not.

Finally, after Taz and Up had chased the bullies through the alleyways so much so that they accidentally climbed a fence and fallen into a dumpster, they stopped in an empty alley, voices sore from screaming and hearts pumping with leftover adrenaline. Taz slid off Up's back. "That," she said, laughing, "Was _increíble_!"

Up grinned. "Sure was kid." He hefted his zapper fondly. "Damn fools didn't even realize this thing was turned off!"

Taz grinned in amusement, looking up at the Lieutenant. "Gracias, amigo."

Up smiled. "My pleasure, _señorita_. Couldn't help but notice you were in some sort of trouble, so I thought I'd help out."

Taz , hands now on her hips, looked affronted. "I was handling myself just fine, actually. Your interruption was…_suerte_."

Up raised an eyebrow, surprised at her manner. "Handling yourself just fine, eh? Didn't look that way me to, kid."

Taz narrowed her eyes dangerously, about to make another retort, when she froze, catching sight of something behind the Lieutenant's shoulder. Up looked confused. "What is it, Taz?"

She shushed him. "Don't move." Taz said quietly, eyes widening.

"But-"

She shushed him again. "Seriously, _idiota_, shut up and don't move."

Slowly and silently, she reached down, taking hold of Up's zapper. He was about to protest when she gave him that dangerous look again, meaning that he really should shut up and not move. So, he did just that, watching as Taz, four-foot-eleven, ninety-six pound Taz, heft his zapper above his shoulder, set it to "Pew" mode, and fired three quick shots.

Seconds after the blasts went off, Up turned his head, hesitant to see exactly what Taz had done.

There, sitting on the fence, were the smoky remains of a small robot unit, it's head shot off by Taz. With a clatter, it fell off the fence and to the ground, lifeless. Antonio, Marco and José, all of whom were covered in trash, poked their heads over the fence, eyes widened and mouths agape.

Taz pointed the gun at them "Get lost, _muchachos_."

This time, they listened.

She smirked, and offered the zapper to Up, who looked at the girl suspiciously before taking it. "You ever shot a zapper before?"

She shook her head. "No, first time." She was still smirking.

Up shook his head, astonished. "Well, that was some _bien_ shooting you did then kid."

"Don't call me a kid." She said, turning her heel, hands in her pockets. When she didn't hear Up following her, she turned her head to look at him. "You coming, Ranger?"

Up smiled, holstering his zapper and following the girl.

In the words of a great author, there are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and chasing bullies into a dumpster and shooting a robot are two of them.


	3. The Boyfriend?

AN: Woohoo! Chapter three! Once again, sorry for the delay, but from now on I'm hoping that my updates will be more consistent. Thank you for your patience! And, also, HUGE thanks to my beta, Kierza, without whom this story's spanish would be grammatically incorrect. (And we can't have that, can we?) So, enjoy!

-PBR

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><p><strong>The Boyfriend<strong>

"Taz?"

"Yeah, Up?"

It had been over a year since they had met. Over a year since the infamous dumpster incident that had changed these two people from strangers to the best of friends. Hardly ever seeing one without the other, Taz and Up had become the unlikely duo of a girl and Ranger. They had become nearly inseparable friends, spending as much free time they could manage together.

And today was no different; the Lieutenant and the girl were currently sprawling on the sofa in Taz's parents' living room. Taz was leaning her back against Up's left arm, reading her history book in an attempt to study, and Up was channel surfing through the nine-inch TV in front of him in an attempt to not be so bored, every so often glancing at the page Taz was reading. This was a normal routine for them—Taz, studying, Up, watching her study. This was both of their down times, and they both enjoyed every minute of it.

Currently, though, Up had a feeling that his next words would not go over well with the girl, inevitably disrupting their calm. It was a question that had been especially and strangely bothering him for some time. Bracing himself for what might be imminent lashing, Up asked. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Taz froze, page half-turned, motionless against Up's arm. Slowly, she closed the book and turned around to look at Up, confused. "_Qué?_" she asked incredulously.

Up cleared his throat, beginning to get nervous for some odd reason, and repeated his question.

Taz looked thoroughly disgusted. "What kind of question _estúpida_ is that?"

"Well," Up said, feeling uncommonly flustered. "I was just…wondering, you know?"

Taz raised an eyebrow, still looking disgusted.

"And, well, I just…you never talk about what goes on at school, and," Up groped for the right words, restlessly running his fingers through his short, dark hair and avoiding looking at Taz. "I guess I just wondered if…well, a lot of girls your age have boyfriends, I guess. And I just wondered if you did…too." He glanced over, a nervous smile playing on his lips.

She had changed a lot in the past year, Up decided. Her hair was now much shorter; an endeavor Taz had attempted after she decided that the long hair she used to have was too girly for her. She had cut it herself one day after school, fashioning it to look like some ''fro from hell', as Up put it, even though the self-made style had suited her quite well. She hardly resembled the scrawny kid that had worn a pink abomination at her quinceañera. She was still short, yes, but that made her feisty nature seem all the more terrifying. She was not bullied anymore after the dumpster incident. But Up was beginning to wonder if it was because she could now beat most of the boys in her class up, or because people were starting to notice that Taz was actually kind of pretty.

_Wait…what?_

Well, it wasn't that crazy of an idea, Up thought; Taz _was _pretty. Sure, she was tough to get along with sometimes, but that didn't hide the fact that with her petite frame, her expressive brown eyes, her bigger-than-life attitude, and her brazen personality…sometimes it was hard to believe she hadn't had any sort of boyfriend before, right? _Right_, Up reasoned

But his thoughts were then interrupted by Taz's laughter, which she had been trying to hold in but could not any longer. "Up," said, shaking her head. "You're not serious, _de verdad_?"

Up frowned, his brow furrowed. "It's just a question."

Taz snorted, rolling her eyes. "_Escúchame_, Up, the boys in my class are all _cabrónes_, and I would rather marry a goat than date any of them, _lo tienes_?" She didn't wait for an answer, just slumped back into her original position against his arm.

Up smirked, happy with her response. "I don't think a goat would have you anyway, so you're safe."

Taz reached behind and smacked Up on the head, a skillful act seeing as she was facing the other way. "Shut up, _cabrón_."

"_Lenguaje_, Tazmania!"

Up jumped at the cry, and saw that it came from Taz's mother. Ramona Alvarez was a small woman, it was obvious that Taz had inherited her height from her, but, like her daughter, she could also instill fear easily into even the bravest of hearts. She stood menacingly in the doorway, hands on her hips, eyes narrowed in Taz's direction. "I did not raise _mi única hija_ to curse like _un soldado_." She shifted her gaze to Up's direction, and he didn't need a translation to know that she was referring to him.

Taz groaned, looking up from her textbook to look at her mother. "_Relájat_e_, Mamá_!_"_

"Relax?" Ramona threw her hands up and looked over at Up in despair. "She gets this from hanging out with you people. Not to say that the Rangers here aren't very helpful, it's just if she hung out with _la gente normal_, this wouldn't have happened." She shook her head. "You've corrupted her."

"Oh please _mamá_," Taz said, sitting up to look at her mother fully, "The boys around here are-" she stopped herself, noting that she shouldn't curse while her mother was in earshot anymore, "are all like that. It's not some big deal that I curse, alright? Everyone does! It's not Up or the Ranger's fault I've been 'corrupted', as you put it."

"Besides," Up said. "I'll admit I sorta deserved it. I asked her if she had a boyfriend."

Taz gave him that dangerous look, and Up briefly noticed that it was scarily reminiscent of her mother. But before she should ensure more verbal slandering towards him, Taz's mother snorted. "Ha! My Tazmania? Have _un novio_?"

"Here we go." Taz sighed; flopping back onto the couch and burying her face in her textbook so as to not witness the speech that she knew was about to happen.

"_Dios Muerto _knows I've tried to get her interested in _los niños_," she confided in Up, shaking her head solemnly, "but she is so _terca_, she won't even look at them! It is always '_No necesito un hombre_!' At this rate she will never get married!" She looked at Taz and said in a louder voice. "And I will never be _una abuela_ either!"

"_Mamá_!" Taz exclaimed, setting her book down violently, her cheeks turning pink. "_¿Podemos dejar de hablar de esto?_"

Ramona gave her daughter a smug look. "_¿Por qué? _You are a woman now, aren't you? It's time to be thinking about these things!"

"I'm _dieciséis_, _mamá._ No one gets married at sixteen anymore."

Ramona shook her head, and then began to make her way out of the room. "Maybe you can talk some sense into my daughter." she said to Up, smirking. "She obviously listens to you."

"Not his fault!" Taz shouted in an attempt to have the final word. Once she was sure Ramona was out of earshot, Taz turned to Up, glaring. "Why did you have to say that?"

Up chuckled, settling back into the couch. "I had no idea that it was such a touchy subject around here."

"Yeah, well, next time, you better keep your mouth shut, you stupid-"

"_Lenguaje_!"

Up laughed at the shocked expression on Taz's face, and she indignantly began studying again. "This is your fault, Up. Now she'll be pestering me for a week because of you."

He reached out, taking hold of the book down covering Taz's face and moving it so she could see his face. "Look, I'm sorry." Up meant it, and Taz could see that he did. "I won't mention it again, _vale_?"

She nodded, pushing his hand that was obscuring her reading out of the way. "_Muy bien_." She looked away from Up, harboring the hope that she might be able to get some more studying done before being interrupted again.

"But you're reconsidering the goat now, aren't you?"

"Shut up."


	4. The Calculus Book

AN-Ugh, I should just start all my chapters with an apology now, these are getting out so late! Though, I actually wrote this chapter last Tuesday, but I had editing difficulties all the time after that. So, my lovely readers, here is chapter four! Thanks a billion to my amazing beta, Kierza!

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><p><strong>The Calculus Book<strong>

By the time Taz had turned 17, Ramona had gotten used to the idea that Lieutenant Up had become a member of the Alvarez family. From the first moment she met him, Ramona had gotten the impression that Up was a lonely character; and from what she gathered over the years, the Lieutenant had no family to speak of, not even a sibling, and joined the Rangers merely because there was nothing else he thought he was capable of. So, when he and her daughter became close, she was wary, to say the least. She wondered why a man seven years older than her daughter would even want to be around her if not for inappropriate reasons. Ramona now realized that Up had no ill intentions towards Taz, and that their friendship was one of the more innocent she had seen. Taz had become closer to him than with her own brothers, and Ramona no longer questioned why.

So when Up knocked on the kitchen door and stumbled in, shivering slightly from the December air, all Ramona had to do was motion towards the stairs that led to Taz's bedroom, smiling that secret, motherly smile.

**000**

Up lumbered up the stairs, taking them two at a time in an attempt to expel the frigidity he was currently feeling and cursing the global warming that had made this once-warm country into a bipolar weather frenzy. It wasn't just Mexico, though, that suffered this worldwide catastrophe. In the A.D. ages, international weathering and human error had negatively affected the Earth, melting the ice caps and turning the equator into a frozen wasteland. It had been thousands of years since that disaster, however, and Earth's citizens had long adapted to the changed climate. Still, Up had been in Mexico for two and a half years, and this winter was one of the worst he had been though. Up had put on a brave face in front of the others Rangers, but all he desperately wanted to do was curl up in a blanket and wish that the Starship base would turn the heat up to a acceptable temperature.

Thank Dead God Taz's house had an adequate heating system.

Just as he reached her room, Up heard a cry of frustration come from inside Taz's room. Up frowned, pushing open the door slowly. "Taz?" he asked hesitantly. It swung slowly open on it's own accord, making a eerie creaking sound. Suddenly, Up could see something large and square flying towards his head. With a yelp, he ducked down, the large object soaring past his head and giving two dull _thuds _as it hit the wall and the floor, respectively. Raising his head, Up cautiously looked to see who had thrown the heavy projectile at him. There, clad in a turtleneck sweater and breathing heavily was Taz, eyes narrowed in anger. When she saw Up, her shoulders slumped. "I thought you were Marlon." And with that, she flopped back-first onto her bed.

Up decided to take that statement as an apology, seeing as she was referring to her older brother, Marlon, as her intended target, and stood up fully. He surveyed Taz's room. It was relatively boring, as far as bedrooms go, Up decided, with it's faux-wood floors and pale blue walls. The only defining feature that made the room purely Taz's were the numerous bookcases, filled to the maximum with numerous books, and the two posters depicting the A.D.-era singers Enrique Inglesias and Shakira (Taz had once explained that their CD's were the only ones she owned, so her musical tastes never expanded past that.)

Up picked up the object that had been thrown at him, and saw that it was a worn and violated book. The cover looked like it had been stabbed repeatedly, but Up could still just make out the title. He held it up questioningly. "Calculus?"

Taz covered her face with a pillow and groaned in assent. "It's tough." She whined, her words muffled by layers of cotton. "I hate it!"

Up chuckled. "Yeah, I wasn't so fond of it myself when I was in high school." He sat down beside Taz, her bed creaking beneath him. "But why are you working on math anyway? School let out for Christmas break a week ago."

Taz pulled the pillow away from her face, exasperated. "I know that, _est__ú__pido_." She sat up and began playing with her bangs, a sure sign, Up knew, that she was anxious. "I need to pass calculus, Up. _Tengo que hacerlo_."

"Why do you need to-"

"Because the Academy requires all of its Rangers to pass four years of math in order to be accepted."

And there it was, the reason Taz had been anxious and restless ever since her senior year had started. For four months, Up noticed that Taz had taken a sudden interest in her grades at school and a sudden desire to work with Up and the other Rangers in his squad.

He couldn't lie, though; he had seen this coming.

"I know what you're thinking." Taz said suddenly. "You think it's a bad idea."

Up didn't answer right away.

"It's because I'm a girl, isn't it?"

"No, but-"

"Or because I'm tiny, isn't it?"

"No, but-"

"Well I'll tell you something, _señor_. I am the toughest soldier that the Academy will ever get. And if you think that I'm too _pequeña _or too _femenina _to become a Ranger, then you better unfudge yourself and-" Her words became muffled once again, this time because Up had covered her mouth with his hand.

"Taz," He stared at her unwaveringly with his bright blue eyes. "Do you really think I believe those thing?"

Taz sighed, pushing his hand away. "No. But everyone else will, and you know it."

Up silently agreed, but he also knew it wouldn't help if he consented out loud. "Why, though?"

Taz raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you want to join the Rangers?"

Taz knew there was no fooling Up, so she said slowly. "Because I don't want to end up like everyone else."

Up stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.

"The _mujeres _in Mexico have no future, Up. You either get married and become forever your husband's property, or you become a _prostituta_." She looked at up, angered. "I don't want that, Up. I don't want to belong to someone just because it's custom. I don't want to sell my body just to survive. I don't want to spend the rest of my life in Mexico. And I don't..." she faltered, lowering her voice. "I don't want to end up like _mi madre_." The anger in her eyes was now replaced by sadness. "There is nothing for me here, Up, and I want so much more than what my family or this country can give me. I want to be a Starship Ranger."

Up processed Taz's proclamation. One side of him was guiltily glad that Taz had decided to do this, even if for reasons he could no fully sympathize with. Up realized, though, that what Taz said was true; once she finished high school, there was no where else for her to go. A high school diploma was practically useless in Taz's community, and especially useless if you were a girl. You had to have money in order to go on in life successfully. The Alvarez family, Up knew, were not destitute, but they were not fabulously wealthy either. Up had a hunch that the family had spent most of their earnings on higher education for Taz's older brothers, Marlon and Eduardo. It wasn't until this moment, however, that Up realized they could not afford to do the same for Taz. The Starship Ranger Corp was, quite literally, the only option Taz had.

He had to ask though. "But...do you actually _want _to join the Rangers?"

Taz looked at Up as though he was crazy. "What are you, _loco_? Of course I want to be a Starship Ranger! I want to fight the _robotos_! I want to travel the galaxy!" She sat up on her knees, a determined look on her face. "And I'm tough enough to do it, too." She dared Up to disagree.

Instead, he grinned, picking up her calculus book. "Then we better get to work."

Taz grinned back, then unexpectedly flung her arms around Up's neck. "_Gracias_, _mi amigo_."

**000**

An hour and many functions later, Up noticed that the sky had grown dark, and had taken that as a sign he should be heading back to base. After saying their goodbyes, Up had left Taz with two problem left to conquer, fully believing she could manage them by herself. As he passed through the kitchen, he smiled at Ramona, who was sitting down at the table, hands wrapped around a steaming cup. Just as Up opened the door to leave, Ramona asked softly "Did she tell you?"

Up froze, turning back around to face her "How do you-?"

"You think I didn't see this coming?" she said, smiling sadly. "Close the _puerta_, you're letting all the _aire frio _in."

He did so, looking at Ramona, puzzled. She motioned for him to sit down, which he also did. "So," she said. "_Mi Tazmania _wants to be a Starship Ranger, _de verdad_?"

Up nodded.

Ramona laughed softly, smirking at Up. "This is all your fault, _sí_?" She sighed. "But it is mine as well."

Up protested, but Ramona silenced him with a raised hand. "I won't deny it, and neither should you. I never gave _mi hija _the _elecciones _I gave to Marlon and Eduardo, and that is one of my _grandes errores._" She sighed again, and it was quiet for a few moments as Ramona stared into her mug. "Now you know why I pushed for Tazmania to get married. I thought that if I found someone to take care of her, then maybe I would not feel so _culpable_ about not having _el dinero_ to give her an _educación_." Ramona paused. "But that isn't what Tazmania wants. She does not want to be married young, to be forced to be a wife. She does not want to become me."

Up sat still, wordless as Ramona broke and put her head in her hands, eyes closed as she tried to keep her tears in check. "Will I ever see her again? After she goes to _La Academia_?"

"For the first few years, while she's in training, you'll get to see her on a somewhat regular basis. After she graduates, though..." Up shrugged. "There's not a good chance of you seeing her at all."

Ramona raised her head and nodded, an act Up found to be the saddest of all. No tears, no sighs, just the sad resignation of a mother who obviously cared about her daughter enough to know that this decision was the best one for her.

Ramona stood, and Up did also, taking the hint and deciding to leave. Just before he reached the door again, Ramona quietly pleaded. "You'll take care of her, _sí_?"

Up looked at Ramona one last time, and nodded. "I was already planning to."

* * *

><p>AN- As per RockAndAHardPlace's request, I will now have translations down here, but only for full sentences in Spanish<p>

_Tengo que hacerlo _- I have to.


	5. The Disappointment

AN-I cannot apologize enough for the delay! I took an impromptu hiatus on this story for awhile, and then wrote like a mad-woman for a week straight. I'm still working out the kinks in the plot of this story, but hopefully from now on my updates will be a little more on track. Thanks to everyone who reads and comments on this story of mine, you're all lovely people!

* * *

><p><strong>The Disappointment<strong>

Everything was too clean, Taz decided. The Starship Ranger Academy, with its white walls and its gray floors and its chrome accents, did not match her idea of what she imagines it would look like. Taz had not expected to live the next four years of her life in this stuffy, rigid, clean place. Taz's first few days at the Academy had been filled with initiations that had bored her to tears and introductions to the three girls that she was expected to room with. All three of them, Taz decided, were the silliest girls she ever had the displeasure of meeting. Needless to say, Taz was not enjoying herself immensely. Barely eighteen, clad in the stiff regulation camo uniform, surrounded by her three ditzy roommates, Taz was disappointed in the Academy so far.

That was not the only thing that had disappointed her, though.

Ever since arriving three days prior, Taz had noticed a change come over Up. It was sheer luck that had allowed his squad to be transferred to the Academy shortly before Taz arrived. Because of this, she had happily assumed that her and Up's training would continue as before, and that nothing would change between them. She was wrong. Even in her short time here, Taz could tell that Up was more refined, more stiff, more polished around his superiors the other Rangers, and his attitude towards her had taken on that demeanor as well. Sure, Taz reasoned, it was only natural for Up to act that way around everyone else, but around her?

She was not going to stand for this.

And with that in mind, she stood up from her perch on her bed and stormed out of the dorm room, ignoring the bimbos' cries that they weren't allowed out of their rooms. At the moment, Taz didn't particularly care that she was breaking the rules. She was sick of the regulations she was meant to follow.

She opened the door to a brightly lit hallway and, in an act of irony, ran straight into someone. Upon further inspection that someone turned out to be the person Taz was looking for; Lieutenant Up. He looked at the girl in front of him, startled. Taz's roommates giggled behind her, and she turned around to glare at the trio before she closed the door violently behind her. She looked back at Up, the glare still evident on her face. "What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to keep her voice even.

Even so, Up noticed the venom in her tone, and he sighed in reply. "We need to talk."

"You are damn right we do." She started down the hallway, guessing that the bimbos were probably listening on the other side of the door, and heard Up match her quick pace beside her.

Wishing her legs were longer, Taz attempted to speed up, not wanting to have to look at Up out of the corner of her eye. She heard an exasperated groan, and was spun around to face Up, his hands on her shoulders. "What's your problem, Taz?"

She pushed his hands off, and then crossed her arms across her chest. "I was just going to ask the same thing about you, actually."

Up looked angrily down at Taz, an expression she had rarely seen, especially towards her.

"I'm not the one stalking around, disobeying orders and causing a damn ruckus like an immature child."

Taz laughed a short, mocking, laugh. "Right, I am being immature. You are the one going around acting all stiff and _adecuado_, answering '_Sí, señor_', '_No, señor_' to everyone as if you are an _esclavo estúpido_, and we both know that is not you, you _hijo_ _idiota_ _de puta_!"

She did not mean for that last explicative to escape her, not even in her native language, but Taz regretted it nonetheless. Up, she knew, understood bits and pieces of Spanish, enough for him to survive for a lengthy period of time in Mexico, but he was well versed in Taz's curse words. Still, these revelations did not make her anger subside. Before she could go on though, a door that neither Up nor Taz had previously noticed opened suddenly, revealing someone Taz didn't recognize. This was unsurprising, seeing as she hadn't taken the time to learn her superiors' names in the short time she had been at the Academy. It was only when Up saluted the man that Taz deduced that he was someone of importance.

"Colonel Jacksen, sir."

Taz almost smirked, and Up almost glared at her to be quiet, but was secretly smiling well, but then they both remembered they were supposed to be mad at each other.

Colonel Jacksen nodded, relieving Up. "Lieutenant, could you and Ensign Alvarez please come into my office?"

Taz raised her eyebrows, surprised that the Colonel knew her name, but she was not given enough time to ponder why as she followed Up into Jacksen's office.

The Colonel, Taz noticed as he motioned for her to sit down on a chair in front of his desk, did not look like a Colonel, or what she imagined a Colonel to look like anyway. Not that she had much experience interacting with military seniorities, but she had seen many war films. Colonels were, according to Taz's mental picture, tall and thin men with hard faces, barking orders in rough voices. The man before her was none of these qualities, and was, if anything, the complete opposite of her image of a Colonel. She mentally added that to her list of disappointments in the Starship Rangers.

"Ensign Alvarez." Colonel Jacksen began, absentmindedly flipping though a file on his desk. "Were you aware that all Ensigns were to be confined to dorms until further notice?"

Taz nodded. "Yes."

The Colonel waited.

"Yes, _sir_." She said, only half trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

"Were you also aware that causing disturbances and arguing with a superior officer are frowned upon in this establishment?"

'_What is this, school?_' was what Taz wanted to say, but what she said out loud was "Yes, sir."

The Colonel looked at Taz, studying her, looking as though he was debating on whether he should say something or not, and Taz studied him right back. "Ensign Alvarez," he said suddenly, breaking her gaze. "It is not customary that we allow women to study combat at the Ranger Academy, so I want you to fully comprehend what I'm about to say. We highly respect Lieutenant Up's opinion—he is one of the best Rangers we have ever had the privilege of training—and it is partly because of him that you are here today." Colonel Jacksen leaned forward; making sure Taz was paying attention. "I hope you understand that, Alvarez."

And she did, she really did.

"As for you, Lieutenant," Jacksen now addressed Up. "Keep yourself and your protégée in check in the future."

Up nodded, and the two of them were dismissed from Jacksen's office, the Colonel instructing Up to escort Taz to her room.

They walked slowly in silence for a few minutes, both too wrapped up in their own cowardice to speak first.

There they were, the two best Rangers the G.L.E.E. could ever hope of having in its service, both too stubborn and hardheaded to apologize to the other. Time and trust would bring these two closer than any two people could ever imagine becoming, and the irony of their current attitude toward each other was almost laughable.

It is unsurprising that they both stopped in their tracks and began to speak at the same time. It is also unsurprising that after that, Taz and Up went back and forth for an uncomfortable amount of time debating who should speak first. It was only after Up realized that their predicament was utterly ridiculous that he announced "Fine! I'll talk first."

His announcement was so ridiculously put that Taz busted out laughing, smothering her giggles with her hand as she nodded for Up to continue.

He could not help but allow himself to smile the smallest of smiles before he continued. "Taz, I know it's been a rough few days since you got here. Dead God knows how strange the Academy seems at first. I should know, I was an Ensign myself once." He was getting off track. "Point it, Taz, being here, at the Academy…it's tough, tough to get used to, and I shouldn't've-"

"I'm just going to stop you right there, _compañero_." Taz's voice was quiet, but it still held authority beyond her years. Up had not seen this side of her, not in her words at least. He knew Taz had the ability to stop a person with one look, whether it be menacing or appealing (thought the latter was hardly ever used). Up was amazed at the girl in front of him; most knew her as loud and demanding, but they would soon come to recognize the unspoken terror she could hold over people.

It was a revelation worthy of a novel, but Taz had started speaking again. "You shouldn't be sorry for anything, _vale_? I was _estúpida_ and _tonta_, taking my anger out on you. It's just…" she faltered, eyes flicking back and forth before focusing on Up again. "This, the _Academia_, it's…different than what I imagined. Everything is rules and orders, and it's not at all what I thought it would be like."

"You're disappointed." It was not a question.

She nodded.

"That's my fault, then." She did not interrupt him. "I showed you a part of the Starship Rangers they don't teach at the Academy. My time in Mexico, where you were…it was quiet. The attack on your birthday three years ago was the only major invasion that area ever saw, and my squad was kept there only for protocol. It was laid-back; not at all what the Academy had prepared us for." He paused, noticing that Taz was rolling her eyes.

"Up, I know all that. You think I would've joined if I thought I'd be sitting around like a _culo flojo_ all day?"

She had a point, Up admitted silently. But he was still confused. "Then, what-?"

"I was disappointed in you!" Taz blew her bangs out of her eyes, stalling for time before she continued. "You…you changed when we got here, Up. You became all _rígido_ and _pomposo_ and…and that's not you, Up."

You could tell her, Up told himself. He could explain to Taz that all of what she said was true. His demeanor had changed drastically, he knew that, and it had for selfish reasons. He could tell her that a small part of him, the part that had control over him before he met Taz, the sickening greed for power, had influenced him. At his arrival at the Academy, Up was informed that he was up for a promotion, his first in three years, and the subtle greed had escaped and turned Up into the man he was before that quinceañera three years ago when he met Taz. This girl before him, the girl who was growing up before his eyes, had changed him. And he had, like a fool, let her witness (the) other entity, the one with a desperate need for supremacy. In his past, Up believed that power was all he ever wanted, ever needed, ever desired. That was no longer the case.

He could tell Taz all of that, but instead he ruffled her hair, tilting her head upward to meet her eyes. "I'm sorry." He said, wishing there were more eloquent words in his vocabulary to use. "That was wrong, and I'm sorry. I don't plan on acting like that ever again.

In the back of her intuitive mind, Taz guessed that there was more, but for now his apology was all she needed. She nodded again, smiling, and he smiled back. They began to travel the route back to Taz's room once again.

"I think you'll really like the Academy once your training starts up. You'll learn lots."

"You think?"

"Well, that is the Academy intention, yeah." Taz could hear the smile in his voice, and it was genuine. "I have a feeling you won't have any trouble." "Why's that?"

"Taz, you are tougher than all of the Rangers in the G.L.E.E. combined, and in four years, after you graduate, I'm sure everyone else will know it too."

For now, things were relatively normal in the lives of these two Rangers. And at that precise moment, relative normality was all they needed.


	6. The Rumors

AN: I wrote this chapter _ages_ ago, but never uploaded this. I don't know when I'll be updating this story next, but here's a little something more for all of you lovely people.

* * *

><p><strong>The Rumors<strong>

"Your name?"

"Taz."

"Your full name, please."

A frustrated sigh.

"Tazmania Beatriz Alvarez."

"Age and date of birth?"

"Nineteen. June twenty-fifth, year 3919, A.D.G."

"Occupation?"

Taz was slowly losing her patience over these idiotic questions that her interrogator obviously knew the answers to.

**000**

"Captain. Starship Ranger of the Galactic League of Extraterrestrial Exploration."

"How long have you served as a Starship Ranger, Captain?"

"Five years."

"Do you intend to stay with the G.L.E.E. very long, Captain?"

Up didn't see what that had to do with anything.

**000**

"Is there a point to this _entrevista_?"

"Oh yes, Ensign Alvarez."

**000**

She had been escorted out of training by two Rangers she didn't recognize, taking her to a room near the prison cells. All the way there, she had mad mumbled Spanish explicatives, outraged at this supposed injustice.

**000**

He had been on break, a blessing he did not normally receive, and intended to spend it secluded in his room. He had absentmindedly been flipping through a book Taz had left there recently when he was interrupted by two Rangers he didn't recognize knocking at his door. They had led him, confused, to a room near the prison cells.

**000**

"I'll get right to the point…"

**000**

"Are you and Ensign Alvarez together?"

**000**

"Are you and Captain Up together?"

**000**

A stunned silence. "What?"

**000**

A shocked silence. "_Qué_?"

**000**

"I don't think I understand the question."

"Oh, I think you understand it perfectly, Captain." A smile, a cold-hearted one. "Have you and Tazmania Alvarez ever had, shall we say, sexual relations?"

**000**

"That is the most _idiota_ question I have ever heard."

"Is it, Ensign?" the smiled flickered to a frown momentarily. The interrogator stood and began pacing around Taz in a wide circle. "There have been…rumors, Ensign Alvarez."

**000**

"People have been talking, Captain Up. You and that Spanish ensign have aroused suspicions all around the Starship Ranger Corp."

"Don't see how it's anyone's business."

"Captain, the G.L.E.E. doesn't pretend to hold any interest in its Rangers personal lives; that is not our intention. Your case, however, is different."

**000**

"Up and I are friends."

"Is that all?"

"Of course it is!"

The interrogator studied her, searching for the lie in Taz's expression. When it was not found, the interrogator returned to their desk. "How long have you known the Captain?"

**000**

"Four years."

"And you met while on an extended mission in Mexico, yes?"

Up nodded.

"It is reported by your superiors and your fellow Rangers on said mission that you took a certain interest in Tazmania Alvarez after you saved her and her family from a robot attack. How old was she at the time?"

**000**

"Fifteen."

And you didn't find it odd that a man seven years your senior took an unprecedented curiosity in you?"

"He saw potential in me; said if he trained me right, I'd be able to defend myself is any other robot attacks came to Mexico."

"But you saw him outside of this supposed training, didn't you?"

**000**

"That's right."

"Why?"

"Cause her mother was the best damn cook on that side of the Texas border."

The smile was gone completely now. "Are you taking this seriously, Captain?"

**000**

"No, I'm not, because I don't see how this is any of your business."

"Are you hiding something from me?"

"No, I am not."

"When why won't you answer me directly?"

**000**

"Honestly? Because I think this whole thing is absurd."

"And I agree, Captain."

He was confused.

"Captain Up, the supposed premise of this interview was that your friendship with Ensign Alvarez was being seen as inappropriate behavior on your part. But, as you well know, Tazmania Alvarez is of age, quite capable of making her own decisions and being with whoever she wants."

"We're not together."

"I'm aware, Captain." The smile was back.

**000**

"Then is this damn thing over?"

"Not quite, Ensign. It is not G.L.E.E. policy to condemn relationships between Rangers of any ranking, but yours and the Captain's case is very unique."

"Why's that?"

"Well, the age difference for one reason. His higher superiority over you, but all those can attribute to the belief that he is your mentor."

"Then what's-?"

"There's more, Ensign."

**000**

"Spending meal times together, congregating in each others rooms at odd hours, frequenting the training gym outside of instructions time. Captain, do you see why the G.L.E.E. finds this behavior suspicious?"

He didn't answer.

**000**

"The Captain has expressed an interest in elevating his position as a Starship Ranger, Ensign. Do you not see how a scandal like this ruin his reputation and the chances of a promotion ever happening?"

She didn't answer.

**000**

"Do you love her?"

**000**

"Do you love him?"

**000**

_"I don't see how that's-"_

**000**

"Do you _love_ her?"

**000**

"Do you _love_ him?"

**000**

"No."

**000**

"No."

**000**

_They both held the silent fear that they had answered too quickly when their interrogator grinned at them. But, as if satisfied with their answer, the interrogator informed them "You're dismissed."_

**000**

It wasn't until later that night that Up heard a quiet knock on his door, followed by Taz asking his name.

"Yeah, I'm here. Come in."

She entered the room, closing the door silently behind her, and made her way to sit on Up's bed beside him. He wondered to himself is she, like him, had been interrogated as well.

His questions were answered when she said. "Strangest thing happened today. Got pulled out of the gym to talk to some lady from HQ."

"Oh. Really?"

"Yeah."

"She talked to me too."

"Huh."

"Yeah."

Up could safely say that the silence that followed this exchange was one of the most awkward silences he had ever been through. Up thanked a dead god when Taz finally asked "So…what did she want with you?"

He could be vague, Up thought, but he also knew that there was no use of that when he was talking to Taz. "She asked…she asked me if we were together."

"Oh." Taz scratched her head. "She asked me that too."

"Really." It was a statement, not a question. "And…what did you say?"

"Well I said no, of course!" Taz gave Up an odd look. "Why, what did you say?"

"No. I said no."

"Oh. Good, I guess."

Another painfully awkward expanse of time followed.

Taz leaned on Up's shoulder. "Pretty _ridículo_, isn't it? People thinking we are together?"

"_Ridículo_." He agreed distractedly.

"I mean we are _amigos_! _Mejores amigos_! And we have been for-"

"Four years."

"Yeah."

Up liked the weight of her head on his shoulder. Taz liked the feel of Up's shirt under her cheek. They stayed like that for another expanse of time, both content not to move. They both tried not to think about the ordeal they had been through earlier, any mention of it would risk ruining their moment together.

It won out, however, when Taz asked. "And nothing is going to change that, right?"

Up was not an expert in reading people's emotions, but he was very acute in sensing Taz's. "What did she say to you?"

"Nothing." She wasn't fooling him. "Well, she did say something _loco_ about how our 'scandalous' relationship could ruin your reputation and some _mierda_ like that." She lifted her head to see Up's face. "But that's not true…right?"

This was a discussion Up had been dreading for quite some time, but it wasn't until now that he could honestly say to her. "No, Taz. She was just trying to get to you is all."

"I thought so."

Up liked the way Taz's smiled brightened her brown eyes. Taz liked the way Up smiled back at her.

They both wondered if that meant something, but they pushed that thought away. They were friends, and that's all they would ever be, all they ever wanted to be.

Right?

Right.

But even after Taz left for her own room, the pair of them began to have inklings of doubt in that particular belief.


End file.
